A look at the activities experience

Hiking is one of my favorite activities. I've hiked the mountains of Northern California, the Appalachian Trail, and everywhere in between. Last fall, I took a trip to New Hampshire with the intent of hiking Mt. Washington, a nearly 6,300-foot climb and a challenge I had been looking forward to for months. Yet, on the drive into the park, we hit a major rainstorm, making the hike far too dangerous. The rangers had closed the trails just minutes before we planned to ascend the hill. We had no choice but to pack our gear and head back to base camp--our hotel in the city. On the drive back to the hotel, we were feeling a little down and questioning our decision to travel to New Hampshire that time of year. We felt as if our hiking weekend was completely ruined. However, upon returning to the hotel our skepticism and disappointment disappeared. We were greeted by our friend at the front desk, Christine, who asked how our hike up Mt. Washington went. We told her about our experience and she apologized (not like it was her fault, but the empathy was welcome), and asked if we had planned on hiking the next day. We hadn't, but because our Saturday was already wasted, we certainly were open to the idea. Christine went online and mapped out a new hiking location. She was very familiar with the area and knew that when the mountains of Northern New Hampshire experience bad weather, the hills to the west usually have a much more moderate climate. Within minutes, she gave us directions to Mt. Monadnock, located about two hours west. When we got to Mt. Monadnock, the weather was a bit rainy, making for a chilly hike. But by the time we hit the summit four hours later, the rain had cleared and we had spectacular views of the valley below. What started as a disappointing trip turned into one of our best hiking adventures of the year. Christine exemplified the three-pronged approach to creating legendary customer experiences. I call it the ART of experience.

"A" is for awareness. She was aware of the surrounding area of her hotel--even a state park two hours away. She was also aware that hiking was the reason many people visited New England in the fall.

"R" stands for relationships. Christine cared enough to inquire why we were visiting that weekend. She struck up a genuine conversation with us during check-in. We told her how we traveled around the country looking for new hiking adventures. Christine also cared enough to ask how the Saturday hike went when we returned to the hotel.

Finally, "T" is for taking ownership. When we told Christine about our first hiking attempt, she didn't discount our situation. She took it upon herself to help us find another mountain to climb. She took the initiative to make sure we had an enjoyable experience.

So, how do you install the "ART" in your staff? Outside of a full-scale training solution, you can ensure they take a few steps to connect with your guests.

Ask the right questions during the reservation process. This allows the hotel staff to be fully prepared for a guest's visit. They know in advance who is coming and why. A reservations management system allows for notes, and you'd be surprised how many guest service representatives don't use this feature. These notes allow a GSR to make a personal connection with a guest or find a common interest. It can help them keep the interaction conversational by confirming what is noted in the reservation: "I see you're here for the big game this weekend; any other plans while you're visiting?"

Be prepared to answer guest questions, offer related activities or services and schedule those services for the guest. Maybe you offer spa services--a massage after a hike or a dip in the heated, indoor pool. Are there area attractions or activities related to the guest's initial interest? Hikers might also enjoy watching or participating in a local charity run or walk, bird watching or rock climbing. Active guests may want to know the healthier food option from the hotel restaurants or room service. Share the forecast for the remainder of the stay. If bad weather is expected, offer to show the guest to your gym or give them a tutorial on the equipment. Be sure to highlight the state-of-the-art elliptical machine or treadmill.

Enlist the entire staff to create the experience. Everyone should be a customer experience ambassador, from GSRs to the concierge (local events/attractions), to housekeeping (provide extra sweat towel or towels for swimming); to restaurant staff (recommend healthy options); and even the shuttle driver (transportation to hiking trails or charity run).

Knowing why your guests are coming to the area is just as important as why they chose your hotel. From just one small piece of information from the guest (enjoys hiking), an entire staff will be able to exceed expectations and help to create a legendary customer experience that's likely to make that guest a customer for life.

I know next year, when we plan our fall trip to New England, there's only one hotel we will choose. Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate this time, but if not, I'm sure our friends at the hotel will help us with a backup plan. Christine did, and it made all the difference!


John Ely is senior vice president of marketing for Signature Worldwide, a training and business solutions company dedicated to helping clients create legendary experiences for their customers. Ely is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating strategic marketing and corporate growth plans, and has more than 16 years of industrial and consumer marketing experience. For more information on Signature and its new customer experience programs, call 800-398-0518 or visit www.signatureworldwide.com